The Joker and Harley Quinn.

What a loaded question.

Figuring out how to write these two complex characters was a task, but... I don't give up easily.

Let's start with Harley Quinn. Harley is a very sad, tragic character. As is the Joker. But Harley's kind of tragedy is different. She was once Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, until she was reeled in by the Joker, falling madly in love with him.

But the real question is, did Joker ever love Harley back?

That depends on their depiction.

So in order for me to figure out if Joker ever felt anything for Harleen, I had to dive into his character a bit more.

His story.

Which is just as tragic as Harley's.

Joker's backstory is complicated, very dark, and very twisted. In my stories, his backstory will be revealed piece by piece, you'll see how he became who his is.

Of course, his story doesn't excuse any of the horrible things he's done.

And by no means does it justify them.

However.

It gives it reason.

The Joker is a character who never experienced love. Support, happiness. Picture your life without your parents. Your friends. Your siblings, your family, anyone that loves you and supports you in your life.

Take that all away.

Take away all the times you ever felt safe, ever felt loved, ever felt seen.

Where do you think your life would turn out now?
 

Pretty bad. Maybe not behind bars at Arkham bad, but still bad.

Of course, that still doesn't conclude Joker's character. The main thing about the Joker is that he doesn't understand love.

He doesn't know what it feels like. He doesn't even know what it is.

And that.

Is tragic.

At least, not until Harleen came along.

Obviously, someone as broken as the Joker will never be able to properly love someone else. But Harley has never wanted someone to properly love her. She wants the Joker to love her. In his flawed, messed up ways.

But I personally like to write the Joker as a character who tries his best to love, but he doesn't quite know how since he was never taught as a kid. He's doesn't know how to react when Harley showers him with affection, kisses his head, or squeezes his hand.

He tries to show her that he loves her, but he doesn't exactly know how.

So does the Joker love Harley Quinn?

In my world, yes, he does. He just... Doesn't always do it right.

I personally like to write the Joker as a human. 

A broken, tortured soul, who's been abused, neglected and scarred his whole life. 

No one has ever expected him to be anything more than a "lost cause", and so he became that lost cause. He did his very best to try and give them what they wanted. But it only made them more angry.

Until Harleen Quinzel. 

Harley made him feel seen, Harley was the only one who cared in an ocean of people who looked away. Harley saw him, truly saw him, for who he was. The only one who cared enough to listen—cared enough to ask. 

She was the first person to ever do that. 

Harley didn't love him in spite of his flaws.

She loved him because of them.

And she was the only one who ever did. 

That's why I believe Harley Quinn is the Joker's deepest and most vulnerable weakness, the only thing keeping him grounded, his lifeline. 

Without Harley Quinn, there would be no reason.

There would be no purpose.

And of course, a love where two people are that reliant on each other isn't exactly healthy.

But this is Harley Quinn and the Joker we're talking about.

This is as close to healthy as we're ever gonna get.

Now, with no further adeu, 

let's get into the stories.

(This would be my first book in a collection of Gotham City stories, but I want to see how you guys like this one. If you like it, I'll write more books and more one-shots in this one. Let me know how you feel about this first chapter. Love you all so much!!)